Veggie Castle II

Restaurants, Vegan
Queens

Photograph: Courtesy Veggie Castle/ Instagram

Time Out says

While few articles come up when Googling this vegan restaurant, the buffet isn't a secret to its over 32,000 Instagram followers and hungry fans who make the trip for owner Viburt Bernard's Caribbean fare. Veggie Castle's buffet is not only an opportunity for more dining options sans meat, but a chance for creativity. Customers of the restaurant demonstrate the diversity of Veggie Castle's options and endless customization potential with hundreds of tagged photos of their vegan salt-baked fish, jerk chicken, wings and other mock proteins, joined by delicious sides like collards, mac 'n cheese and pigeon peas. Like a real New York joint, they even have chopped cheese sandwiches(made with a cheese alternative, of course). And Veggie Castle even added a secret menu item made with oyster mushrooms, for those in-the-know.

The royal name stems from Bernard's mother, who owns the beloved roti shop Sybil's. After she was sick in the hospital, requiring heart surgery, she suggested to her son that he take over a derelict White Castle nearby the family restaurant and transform the space into something vegetarian-friendly. Leaving the original White Castle architecture in place, Bernard began renting, hoping to attract the neighborhood Rastafarians, many who subscribe to an ital diet, where vegetarian dining is a spiritual duty.